


Every fin will be just fine

by LovelyLittleGrim



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Comforting, Fluff, M/M, Pre-Slash, Reasurring, Theo's bad a reassurances, a fish - Freeform, and blushing, mild panic attack, there's a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2019-04-14 20:41:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14144145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LovelyLittleGrim/pseuds/LovelyLittleGrim
Summary: Theo tries to be reassuring but just makes everything worse. He's blaming this on Mason, the human shouldn’t have left him on Liam duty alone.





	Every fin will be just fine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [manonlemelon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/manonlemelon/gifts).



> For Manon as payment for the amazing demon!Theo edits she made. (And also because I adore her)
> 
> Manon prompted:  
> "I'm not good with responsibility."  
> "Well, your fish is still alive."  
> "My mom feeds it!"

 

Scott’s tail lights disappear down the road, the red flare blinking out in the shadows. The night is surprisingly cool for summer, the scent of car exhaust and freshly mown grass permeating the world around them. Liam sighs beside him, a soft pout pushing out his lips as he stares down the road. Theo watches him warily from the corner of his eye, looking for any signs of a mental break down because Mason had told him there would be one once Scott finally took off, but so far, the little beta seems fine. There weren’t even any tears, just a hug and a thump on the back as he wished Scott good luck at college.

“Alright,” Liam says into the quiet, rolling his neck like he’s getting amped up for a battle. “Let’s go play some COD.”

Theo glances down at him in surprise. “Right now?”

“Yeah,” Liam looks up at him. The yellow light from the street lamps casts half his face in shadow, but Theo can still see the confusion on it clearly. “Why, do you not want to?”

Theo shrugs, he doesn’t care one way or another. It’s just Mason had made him promise not to let Liam spiral down a pit of despair since the human himself couldn’t be here for Liam because he’s away at some science fair thing for the rest of the week. Mason had made it seem like Liam was going to break down in tears before Scott ever stepped foot into the jeep and yet, here the little werewolf is, talking about video games.

“I’m game to play, I just didn’t think you would be up for it after…” He gestures at the road where Liam’s alpha had finally told him goodbye and left for college like all the others had. “That.”

“Dude,” Liam scoffs and nudges him in the shin with the toe of his sneaker. “I’m fine, come on, I want to kick your ass at zombies.”

“You suck at that game, Dunbar,” Theo tells him as they trudge their way up the yard to the house. “You die on level three every time and we lose.”

Liam scowls over at Theo. “Well, maybe if you came to revive me we wouldn’t lose, Raeken.”

Theo rolls his eyes with a snort. “It’s a zombie apocalypse, Liam, why would I risk my life for yours?” He sticks his foot out to trip Liam so that he can reach the front door first.

Liam stumbles, only just barely managing to catch himself on the porch railing. “You’re an asshole,” Liam growls at him and Theo laughs as he slips inside the house because it’s true.

They make it up the stairs and to Liam’s room without throwing one another down the stairs, which, Theo would like to say is character growth, but really, it’s just fear of Jenna hearing one of them tumbling down the steps and grounding them both for all of eternity.

They push open the door to Liam’s room and drop onto the bed, Theo reaching beneath it for the controllers to the Xbox while Liam grabs the remote to the TV off the messy nightstand. He straightens up and tosses one of the controllers to Liam who absently catches it, a small frown beginning to pull at his mouth as he fiddles with the remote in his other hand.

“Liam,” Theo calls, reaching out to poke him in the knee and bring him back to the present. His poke does nothing. “What are you—"

“I can’t do this,” Liam croaks suddenly and drops both the remote and the Xbox handle onto the floor with a dull thump. “I’m not good with responsibility, Theo! Oh, my god, we’re all going to die and it’s going to be all my fault!”

Theo blinks in surprise at the sudden onslaught of words, his nose crinkling in distaste at the scent of fear that’s wafting off the little werewolf in droves. His hand is still hovering over Liam’s knee, his fingers curling and uncurling with indecision. Liam flops backward onto the bed and covers his face, his chest rising and falling in a panic. Theo can hear the rapid pace of his heart, it makes his hand twitch with the need to touch, he curls it into a fist and rests it atop his own thigh.

“Scott has to come back right now,” Liam says, voice muffled by his fingers. “Call him, Theo, tell him to come home because I’m going to kill us.”

“I’m not going to call him, Liam. He literally just left,” Theo says rationally, his teeth digging into his bottom lip as he thinks over what to say. Theo’s not good at these types of things; reassurances and soft speaking aren’t his forte, he can’t believe Mason left him in charge of this. He glances around the room for some type of inspiration.

“It’ll be fine, Liam,” He says awkwardly, eyes flickering around the shelves and walls, hoping for some type of quote he can misappropriate for this occasion. There’s nothing though, nothing to tell him what to say that won’t be a complete disaster.

Liam just groans at him from beneath his hands, his scent growing thicker with panic and fright. It’s a bitter stench, one that drives away the usual smells that float through the room, Theo feels like he’s going to choke on it if he doesn’t make it stop soon.

“Don’t worry,” He tries again, the words tasting foreign on his tongue as he continues his search.  His eyes finally land on the large fish tank in the corner and zero in on the little beta fish swimming around inside. It’s healthy and alive and that… that will have to work because Theo has nothing else to offer.

“Look,” Theo says and ignores the fact that Liam doesn’t actually look at where he is currently pointing. He presses on anyway, undeterred. “You’ve managed to keep your fish alive, that’s responsible, most people kill them within the first two weeks and you’ve had him since the start of your sophomore year.”

He turns back to face Liam, a little proud of himself as he waits for the little wolf to acknowledge his words. It’s quiet in the room save for the sound of Liam’s erratic heartbeat and breathing. Finally, Liam drags his hands down his face and sits up to look at Theo in distress. Theo’s shoulders hunch up to his ears at the expression being directed at him, the proud feeling slowly starts to slip away. He’s blaming Mason for this, the human shouldn’t have went on that field trip and left Theo, of all fucking people, to handle this.

 “Theo,” Liam says, his voice nothing more than a high pitch whine, his bottom lip almost trembling. “My mom feeds him!”

“Oh,” Theo says, that does sound like something Jenna would do. He opens and closes his mouth, his mind blanking. He’s out of reassurances.

“Huh,” He hums out, his head nodding a little. “Well, then, I guess you’re right. We are all going to die, way to go, I’ll call Scott now.”

“W—what,” Liam chokes out, pushing himself up to his feet. He looks offended despite Theo only repeating what he himself had said.  “Dude, no! You’re supposed to be telling me that it’s going to be okay! You’re supposed to be telling me that I won’t kill us all!”

“I tried that,” Theo points out with a frown, his head tipping to the side as he watches Liam pace back and forth, the little werewolf’s hands waving around as he yells at Theo. Theo glances over at the bedroom door and hopes that Jenna and David can’t hear the mental break down that’s taking place right now. Though, he supposes if they do hear, then he won’t have to deal with it. He could easily push it off onto Jenna or her husband.

“You’re supposed to keep doing it until I believe you,” Liam yells in exasperation. Which, no, if anyone should be exasperated right now, it is Theo.

Theo huffs out an annoyed breath, his arms crossing over his chest. “Why do I have to keep repeating it until your dumbass finally listens? Why can’t you just believe me the first time I say it?”

“Because,” Liam rakes his hands through his hair, his fingers tangling in the long, messy strands and further disheveling them. “Because, that’s not how it works!”

“Well it should,” Theo grumbles feeling suddenly exhausted, emotions are complicated.

He doesn’t understand why Liam is freaking out so badly about this. They’ve faced down so much together without the older members of the pack —without Scott— and have come out on the other side unscathed. Liam is the one who came up the zoo plan, and they are the ones who saw it through. As far as Theo is concerned they’ll be perfectly fine as long as they stick together.

“You really think that,” Liam asks quietly.

Theo looks up, his eyes catching on the little werewolf standing right in front of him, his mouth slightly parted and blue eyes staring at Theo in soft surprise.

“What,” Theo asks, brow furrowing in confusion.  _Does he really think what?_

“You really think we’ll be fine as long as we stick together,” Liam says. His eyes look so imploring and hopeful as he stares at Theo through his lashes, his hands fidgeting at his sides like he wants to run them through his hair again. 

_Oh, Theo had said all of that out loud._

Theo’s face feels warm beneath Liam’s gaze. He drops his own eyes to his lap and taps nervously at the plastic of the Xbox controller. “Yeah,” he says haltingly, embarrassment coiling in his stomach at the admission. It’s not a lie, and his heart doesn’t skip a beat, but it does speed up ever so slightly. He clears his throat and lifts his head back up, meeting Liam eye for eye. “Yeah, I really think that.”

He’s glad he looked back up because it lets him witness the small smile that spills onto Liam’s lips. The scent of Liam’s fear ebbing away, replaced by something that smells like relief and contentment.

“Oh,” Liam whispers softly. There's a moments pause, Liam rocks back on his heels, his top teeth digging into his bottom lip. Theo can see a question in his eyes and counts the seconds one by one in anticipation of what Liam is going to ask. 

"You..." Liam says hesitantly. "You don't plan on leaving too?"

Theo stares at him quietly for a moment before asking. "Do you want me to?"

"No, no, I don't mind you staying here," Liam says quickly taking a step closer like he's worried Theo might try to leave that very instant. 

"Here, as in Beacon Hills, or here as in your house," Theo asks as nonchalantly as he can, his eyes focusing on the wall just over Liam's shoulder. He's been living in the Dunbar/Geyer house for a little over a month now. He hadn't expected to like it so much, but he does. 

"Both," Liam says and rubs the back of his head. "Besides, my mother adores you... she would be heartbroken if you left." 

"Maybe, I'll just take her with me when I leave then," Theo jokes, but it feels a little flat, his mouth dry. 

Liam snorts out a little laugh. "I don't think my dad would like you kidnapping my mother." 

"It wouldn't be kidnapping if she comes with me willingly," Theo counters a little smile tipping onto his lips too. "Besides, we all know I'm her favorite." 

Liam rolls his eyes but says nothing, just continue rocking back and forth on his feet, his eyes never leaving Theo's face. There's more that he wants to say, Theo knows him well enough to be able to see it in the lines of his face. Theo licks his lips nervously and pushes himself up to his feet, dropping the controller onto the bed. “It’s late, we should just go to bed,” He says as he heads for the door, he hopes it doesn’t look like he’s trying to escape, even though that’s exactly what he’s doing. “Goodnight, Babywolf.”

“Wait—Theo,” Liam calls out and Theo turns to him warily.

Liam joins him at the bedroom door. There’s a nervous tension around him that makes Theo want to bolt away.

“Yeah,” Theo asks arching a single brow inquiringly.

“You really suck at reassurances,” Liam says with a small laugh, he scuffs his foot against the wooden floor and looks down. There’s red blooming across Liam’s cheeks and spreading down his neck. He lifts his head, not meeting Theo’s eyes as he darts forward and hugs Theo, his arms wrapping around Theo’s waist and pulling him in close. His hair brushes against Theo’s chin, it smells like the soap in their bathroom, a subtle coconut fragrance that works well with their keen senses of smell.

The hug lasts for only a few seconds, but it feels like forever before Liam finally pulls away, taking his warmth with him and giving an awkward little chuckle as he takes two steps back. “Thanks, Theo.”

“Yeah,” Theo says dazedly as he steps back out of the bedroom door and out into the hallway.  “No problem, Dunbar.”

Liam gives him one last shy smile before closing his bedroom door leaving Theo standing out in the hall, face red and heart pounding in his chest. His phone buzzes in his pocket and it takes him several tries to make his fingers work to pull it out. It’s Mason.

 **Received 10:14 P.M** Did he freak out? Is he okay?

Theo glances up at the bedroom door briefly, listens to the sounds of Liam getting ready for bed, the scent of fear is completely gone now, and his heart rate is steady. Theo licks his lips and taps out a quick response that he sends to Mason before slipping the phone back into his pocket and heading to his room. 

 **Sent 10:15** It's all fine.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys liked it! :) I was trying to be punny with the title.. you know... fishes have fins... yeah... don’t judge me. Lmao.


End file.
